Beachgoers warned against eating raw sea urchins

Chonburi – A number of netizens have expressed health concerns after watching recent footage of foreign tourists dining on raw sea urchins, which were freshly caught in the sea off Koh Lan off Pattaya Bay. Questions have also been raised whether catching sea urchins is against the law.

Tanet Munnoy, Director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Administration Office (Chonburi), visited Koh Lan to find the truth behind the video clip and was told by locals and eyewitnesses that the incident did happen. He explained that since sea urchins are not a protected species, catching them for consumption would not be considered a crime. However, if they are caught in protected marine areas, the catcher could face a fine of 5,000-50,000 baht.

Director Tanet called upon the public to refrain from consuming sea urchins without cooking them first, warning that such behavior could put them at risk of food poisoning and parasitic diseases.